Disclaimers: As in Ch.1

28 March 2011

Webb Residence

Alexandria, VA

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to Grace, Happy Birthday to you."

"Happy Birthday, Sweetie."

"Thank you, Daddy."

"Happy Birthday, Grace." Seven-year-old Trey Rabb walked towards her, holding out his gift with a shy smile.

-------

Mid May 2020

Graduation Day

McLean High School

McLean, VA

"Jonathan Gerald Peterson..."

"Harmon David Rabb, III..."

The proud graduate strode across the podium as the speaker called his name. In the audience, quite a number of high-ranking Marine and Navy officers looked on with pride.

"So, Trey, what's next?" Captain Bud Roberts, his godfather, asked when the ceremony was over.

"Annapolis! They've accepted me, and plebe summer starts in a few weeks." Trey grinned proudly while the rest of family chuckled. Trey'd been determined to get into the Academy since he could talk.

A couple of pictures and congratulations later, Trey was anxiously looking through the nearby crowd, obviously searching for someone. A knowing smile spread across Sarah Rabb's face as she walked over to Trey and gently touched his shoulder.

"She called earlier. They got stuck in traffic. There's an accident on the Beltway."

His face darkened with a blush. "Am I that transparent?"

Sarah Rabb only smiled.

--------

11th July 2026

CIA HQ

Langley, VA

An upset young lady breezed through the director's outer office, heading for the inner sanctuary. His secretary quickly grabbed the phone to warn the director about her imminent arrival.

The now-frantic DCI (A/N: Director of Central Intelligence) appeared at the doorway and quickly pulled his little girl into the office.

"Grace, what it is? What's wrong?" Clayton Webb began to get worried as he saw his daughter's irate face.

"Daddy, if I were to shoot somebody right now, would you bail me out?" Grace said, her tone sharp and angry.

Clay relaxed, realizing what was going on. "Geez, you nearly gave your old man a heart attack! What did the Rabb boy do this time?"

"That idiot went on a recon mission without even a word to me and nearly got killed over the Pacific!"

"And how did you find that out?"

"After Uncle Harm called to tell me that he was in Bethesda!" If possible, her voice grew even more frustrated.

"Is he okay?" Webb frowned slightly, concerned.

"Other than getting himself a big gash on the forehead, a mild concussion, a broken leg and some sore ribs, he's fine." She sighed, then her eyes narrowed as she saw her father's expression. "Did you know about this mission, Daddy?"

Hesitating for a second longer, he gave in to the inevitable and told her what he knew. "The recon was a joint-op between the CIA and the Navy. A week ago, CIA Intel inside China picked up a cryptic message that China might be making a move on Taiwan, and there's no way we'd let Taiwan become communist. That would just ruin our tactical situation in the Pacific.

"Anyway, the recon team was sent in to judge the military strength China had been boasting about. It was supposed to be a regular recon mission, but it went sour at the last minute. It seems the Chinese thought our Tomcats would be perfect for target practice. The second our pilots entered their airspace, they opened fire. We can't even charge them with it, because we did technically violate their sovereignty."

"You knew, and you let Trey go!" Grace's anger had a new target now.

"I swear I didn't know Trey was one of the pilots until the mission was already in process. I only put together the plan; it was up to the skipper onboard the Kennedy to decide whom he wanted to send up. Obviously, he sent his best."

"Yeah, and his *best* is now in Bethesda."

"Is he really all right?"

"He'll live," Grace retorted, still angry.

Clayton sighed slightly and nodded, looking at her with a bit of frustration and amazement. He'd thought Harm and Mac had been bad but compared to these two they were nothing!

TBC…